About the Experience
Campus 1871 is our annual event where students from our university partners come together to innovate, collaborate, & connect with entrepreneurs & tech leaders from our 1871 community.
This event offers plenty of opportunities to learn first-hand how to develop your entrepreneurial skills and tackle real business challenges. The week will culminate in a final pitch competition where students will have the chance to pitch their business ideas or business solutions to a panel of Chicago’s tech leaders.
Students will engage in:
- Daily tech talks & workshops
- 1:1 mentorship
- Networking opportunities with entrepreneurs, business leaders, & fellow peers
- A final pitch competition with cash prizes awarded!

Launch Your Entrepreneurial Journey

We can’t wait to welcome top emerging talent & entrepreneurs from our university partners for this immersive experience. In addition to the opportunity to explore, build, & pitch their business ideas & solutions, students can choose between two tracks offering tailored support for their specific career goals.
Our tracks include:
Founder track
- designed for students who want to learn how to build & grow their own business
Leader track
- designed for students across all majors who want to launch their career in the tech industry
Campus 1871 will culminate in a final pitch event where founder track participants will present their business ideas & leader track participants will present their business solutions to a problem statement provided at the start of the week.
Perfect for students who want to learn how to build & grow their own business.